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Home Equity / Mortgages Glossary
An A-Z Guide to the
main Equity terms
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A
- Acceleration Clause
- A common provision of a mortgage or note providing
the holder with the right to demand that the entire
outstanding balance is immediately due and usually payable
in the event of default.
- Accrued Interest
- Interest earned but not yet paid.
- Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans (ARM)
- Loans with interest rates that are adjusted periodically
based on changes in a pre-selected index. As a result,
the interest rate on your loan and the monthly payment
will rise and fall with increases and decreases in overall
interest rates. These mortgage loans must specify how
their interest rate changes, usually in terms of a relation
to a national index such as (but not always) Treasury
bill rates. If interest rates rise, your monthly payments
will rise. An interest rate cap limits the amount by
which the interest rate can change; look for this feature
when you consider an ARM loan.
- Adjustment Interval
- On an ARM loan, the time between changes in the interest
rate or monthly payment.
- Agreement of Sale
- Contract signed by buyer and seller stating the terms
and conditions under which a property will be sold.
- Alternative Documentation
- A method of documenting a loan file that relies on
information the borrower is likely to be able to provide
instead of waiting on verification sent to third parties
for confirmation of statements made in the application.
- Amortization
- Repayment of a loan with periodic payments of both
principal and interest calculated to payoff the loan
at the end of a fixed period of time.
- Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
- The cost of credit expressed as a yearly rate. The
annual percentage rate is often not the same as the
interest rate. It is a percentage that results from
an equation considering the amount financed, the finance
charges, and the term of the loan.
- Application
- An initial statement of personal and financial information
required to apply for a loan.
- Application Fee
- Fee charged by a lender to cover the initial costs
of processing a loan application. The fee may include
the cost of obtaining a property appraisal, a credit
report, and a lock-in fee or other closing costs incurred
during the process or the fee may be in addition to
these charges.
- Appraisal
- A written estimate of a property's current market
value completed by an impartial party with knowledge
of real estate markets.
- Appraisal Fee
- A fee charged by a licensed, certified appraiser to
render an opinion of market value as of a specific date.
- APR
- See Annual Percentage Rate.
- ARM
- See Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans.
- Assignment
- The transfer of ownership, rights, or interests in
property by one person, the assignor, to another, the
assignee.
- Assumption
- A method of selling real estate where the buyer of
the property agrees to become responsible for the repayment
of an existing loan on the property.
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B
- Balloon Mortgage
- Balloon mortgage loans are short-term fixed-rate loans
with fixed monthly payments for a set number of years
followed by one large final balloon payment ("the balloon")
for all of the remainder of the principal. Typically,
the balloon payment may be due at the end of 5, 7, or
10 years. Borrowers with balloon loans may have the
right to refinance the loan when the balloon payment
is due, but the right to refinance is not guaranteed.
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- Bankruptcy
- A proceeding in a federal court to relieve certain
debts of a person or a business unable to pay its debts.
- Bearer
- The legal owner of a piece of property.
- Bequest
- A gift of personal property by will.
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- Blanket Mortgage
- A mortgage that covers more than one parcel of real
estate.
- Bona Fide
- In good faith.
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- Borrower (Mortgagor)
- An individual who applies for and receives funds in
the form of a loan and is obligated to repay the loan
in full under the terms of the loan.
- Broker
- An individual who brings buyers and sellers together
and assists in negotiating contracts for a client.
- Buy-Down Mortgage
- A mortgage loan with a below-market rate for a period
of time.
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- Buyer's Market
- Market conditions that favor buyers. With more sellers
than buyers in the market, sellers may be forced to
make substantial price concessions.
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C
- Call Option
- A provision of a note which allows the lender to require
repayment of the loan in full before the end of the
loan term. The option may be exercised due to breach
of the terms of the loan or at the discretion of the
lender.
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- Caps (interest)
- Consumer safeguards which limit the amount the interest
rate on an adjustable rate mortgage can change in an
adjustment interval and/or over the life of the loan.
For example, if your per-period cap is 1% and your current
rate is 7%, then your newly adjusted rate must fall
between 6% and 8% regardless of actual changes in the
index.
- Caps (payment)
- Consumer safeguards which limit the amount monthly
payments on an adjustable-rate mortgage may change. Since they
do not limit the amount of interest the lender is earning,
these consumer safeguards may cause negative amortization.
- Cash Out
- Any cash received when you get a new loan that is
larger than the remaining balance of your current mortgage,
based upon the equity you have already built up in the
house.
The cash out amount is calculated by subtracting
the sum of the old loan and fees from the new mortgage
loan.
For example, if your existing loan is $100,000, you
might refinance it with a loan of $120,000. After
you pay off your current loan ($100,000) and any loan-origination
costs for the new loan (for example $2,000 in points),
you would be left with $18,000 cash out.
Cash-out loans may not be available for all types
of property.
- Cashier's Check (or Bank Check)
- A check whose payment is guaranteed because it was
paid for in advance and is drawn on the bank's account
instead of the customer's.
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- Ceiling
- The maximum allowable interest rate of an adjustable rate mortgage.
- Certificate of Eligibility
- Document issued by the Veterans Administration to
qualified veterans which verifies a veteran's eligibility
for a VA guaranteed loan. Obtainable through local VA office
by submitting form DD-214 (Separation Paper) and VA
form 1880 (request for Certificate of Eligibility).
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- Certificate of Title
- Written opinion of the status of title to a property,
given by an attorney or title company. This certificate
does not offer the protection given by title insurance.
- Certificate of Veteran Status
- FHA form filled out by the VA to establish a borrower's
eligibility for an FHA Vet loan. Obtainable through
local VA office by submitting form DD 214 (Separation
Paper) with form 26-8261a (request for certificate of
veteran status).
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- Chain of Title
- The chronological order of conveyance of a property
from the original owner to the present owner.
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- Closing (or Settlement)
- The settlement or closing is the conclusion of your
real estate transaction. It includes the delivery of
your security instrument, signing of your legal documents
and the disbursement of the funds necessary to the sale
of your home or loan transaction (refinance).
- Closing Costs
- Costs for services that must be performed before your
loan can be initiated. Examples include title fees,
recording fees, appraisal fee, credit report fee, pest
inspection, attorney's fees, and surveying fees.
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- COFI
- See Cost of Funds Index.
- Collateral
- Assets (such as your home) pledged as security for
a debt.
- Commission
- Money paid to a real estate agent or broker for negotiating
a real estate or loan transaction.
- Commitment
- A promise to lend and a statement by the lender of
the terms and conditions under which a loan is made.
- Condominium
- A form of property ownership in which the homeowner
holds title to an individual dwelling unit and a proportionate
interest in common areas and facilities of a multi-unit
project.
- Conforming Loan
- A mortgage loan which meets all requirements to be
eligible for purchase by federal agencies such as FNMA and FHLMC. The maximum conforming loan amount is $300,700
for a one-unit property ($379,050 in Alaska, Hawaii
and the Virgin Islands).
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- Consumer Reporting Agency
- A company which regularly gathers, files and sells
information to creditors to facilitate their decisions
to extend credit.
- Contingency
- A condition which must be satisfied before a contract
is legally binding.
- Contract of Sale
- The agreement between the buyer and seller on the
purchase price, terms, and conditions of a sale.
- Conventional Loan
- Loans that are not made under any government housing
program; they are not subject to the restrictions of
government housing programs, such as loan size limits.
- Conversion Clause
- A provision in some ARMs that allows you to change an ARM to a fixed-rate
loan, usually after the first adjustment period. The
new fixed rate will be set at current rates, and there
may be a charge for the conversion feature.
- Convertible ARMs
- A type of ARM loan with the option to convert to a fixed-rate
loan during a given time period.
- Conveyance
- The document used to effect a transfer, such as a
deed, or mortgage.
- Cost of Funds Index (COFI)
- An index of the weighted-average interest rate paid
by savings institutions for sources of funds, usually
by members of the 11th Federal Home Loan Bank District.
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- Credit Bureau
- A credit bureau is a clearinghouse for credit history
information. Credit grantors provide the bureau with
factual information on how their credit customers pay
their bills. The bureau regularly assembles this information,
along with public record information obtained from courthouses
around the country, into a "file" on each consumer.
- Credit Report
- A report detailing the credit history of a prospective
borrower that's used to help determine borrower creditworthiness.
- Credit Score
- A statistical method of assessing your creditworthiness.
Your credit card history; amount of outstanding debt;
the type of credit you use; negative information such
as bankruptcies or late payments; collection accounts
and judgments; too little credit history and too many
credit lines with the maximum amount borrowed are all
included in credit-scoring models to determine your
credit score.
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D
- Deed
- Legal document by which title to real property is
transferred from one owner to another. The deed contains
a description of the property, and is signed, witnessed,
and delivered to the buyer at closing.
- Deed of Trust
- A legal document that conveys title to real property
to a third party. The third party holds title until
the owner of the property has repaid the debt in full.
- Default
- Failure to meet legal obligations in a contract, including
failure to make payments on a loan.
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- Delinquency
- Failure to make payments as agreed in the loan agreement.
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- Discount Points (or Points)
- Points are an up-front fee paid to the lender at the
time that you get your loan. Each point equals one percent
of your total loan amount. Points and interest rates
are inherently connected: in general, the more points
you pay, the lower the interest rate you get. However,
the more points you pay, the more cash you need up front
since points are paid in cash at closing.
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- Down Payment
- The amount of your home's purchase price you need
to supply up front in cash to get your loan. For conventional
loans, you should strive for a down payment that's at
least 20% of your home's value, since lenders generally
do not require private mortgage insurance with a down
payment of at least 20% of your home's purchase price.
(Note, however, that FHA and VA loans have different policies regarding insurance.)
- Due-on-Sale Clause
- Provision in a mortgage or deed of trust allowing
the lender to demand immediate payment of the loan balance
upon sale of the property.
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E
- Earnest Money
- Deposit made by a buyer towards the down payment in
evidence of good faith when the purchase agreement is
signed.
- ECOA
- See Equal Credit Opportunity Act.
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- Equifax
- One of the three largest credit bureaus in the United
States.
- Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)
- Federal law requiring creditors to make credit equally
available without discrimination based on race, color,
religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status
or receipt of income from public assistance programs.
- Equity
- The difference between the current market value of
a property and the total debt obligations against the
property. On a new mortgage loan, the down payment represents
the equity in the property.
- Escrow
- A transaction in which a third party acts as the agent
for seller and buyer, or for borrower and lender, in
handling legal documents and disbursement of funds.
- Escrow Account
- An account held by the lender to which the borrower
pays monthly installments, collected as part of the
monthly mortgage payment, for annual expenses such as
taxes and insurance. The lender disburses escrow account
funds on behalf of the borrower when they become due.
Also known as Impound Account.
- Escrow Agent
- A person with fiduciary responsibility to the buyer
and seller, or the borrower and lender, to ensure that
the terms of the purchase/sale or loan are carried out.
- Experian
- One of the three largest credit bureaus in the United
States.
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F
- Fair, Isaac and Co.
- The company that invented credit scoring software.
- Fannie Mae
- A common nickname for the Federal National Mortgage Association.
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- FDIC
- See Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(FDIC)
- Independent deposit insurance agency created by Congress
to maintain stability and public confidence in the nation's
banking system.
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- Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
(FHLMC, or Freddie Mac)
- This agency buys loans that are underwritten to its
specific guidelines. These guidelines are an industry
standard for residential conventional lending.
- Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
- A federal agency within the Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD), which insures residential
mortgage loans made by private lenders and sets standards
for underwriting mortgage loans.
- Federal National Mortgage Association
(FNMA, or Fannie Mae)
- This agency buys loans that are underwritten to its
specific guidelines. These guidelines are an industry
standard for residential conventional lending.
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- Fee Simple
- Absolute ownership of real property.
- FHA
- See Federal Housing Administration.
- FHA Loans
- Fixed- or adjustable-rate loans insured by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development. FHA loans are designed
to make housing more affordable, particularly for first-time
homebuyers. FHA loans typically permit borrowers to
buy a home with a lower down payment than conventional
loans. With FHA insurance, eligible buyers can purchase
a home with a down payment as little as 3% of the appraised
value or the purchase price, whichever is lower. FHA
borrowers typically are required to participate in a
face-to-face meeting with their lender or a government
approved mortgage counselor prior to closing on a new
mortgage loan. The current FHA loan limits vary depending
on home type and home location. To find the most recent
limits for your home, consult the FHA Maximum Mortgage Limits web page.
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- FHLMC
- See Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
- FICO
- The most common credit-scoring model used by lenders,
it is also known as a Fair, Isaac score. Your FICO can
range from 200 to 900. According to this model, the
higher your score, the less likely you are to default
on your loan.
- First Mortgage
- A mortgage which is in first lien position, taking
priority over all other liens. In the case of a foreclosure,
the first mortgage will be repaid before any other mortgages.
- Fixed Rate
- An interest rate which is fixed for the term of the
loan.
- Fixed-Rate Loans
- Fixed-rate loans have interest rates that do not change
over the life of the loan. As a result, monthly payments
for principal and interest are also fixed for the life
of the loan. Fixed-rate loans typically have 15-year
or 30-year terms. With a fixed-rate loan, you will have
predictable monthly mortgage payments for as long as
you have the loan.
- Flood Insurance
- Insurance that compensates for physical damage to
a property by flood. Typically not covered under standard
hazard insurance.
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- FNMA
- See Federal National Mortgage Association.
- Forbearance
- The act by the lender of refraining from taking legal
action on a mortgage loan that is delinquent.
- Foreclosure (or Repossession)
- Legal process by which a mortgaged property may be
sold to pay off a mortgage loan that is in default.
- Freddie Mac
- A common nickname for the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
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G
- Good Faith Estimate
- Written estimate of the settlement costs the borrower
will likely have to pay at closing. Under the Real Estate
Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), the lender is required to provide this
disclosure to the borrower within three days of receiving
a loan application.
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- Grace Period
- Period of time during which a loan payment may be
made after its due date without incurring a late penalty.
The grace period is specified as part of the terms of
the loan in the Note.
- Gross Income
- Total income before taxes or expenses are deducted.
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H
- Hazard Insurance
- Protects the insured against loss due to fire or other
natural disaster in exchange for a premium paid to the
insurer.
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- Housing and Urban Development
- See HUD.
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- HUD
- Housing and Urban Development. A U.S. government agency
established to implement federal housing and community
development programs; oversees the Federal Housing Administration.
- HUD-1
Uniform Settlement Statement
- A standard form which itemizes the closing costs associated
with purchasing a home or refinancing a loan.
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I
- Impound Account
- An account held by the lender to which the borrower
pays monthly installments, collected as part of the
monthly mortgage payment, for annual expenses such as
taxes and insurance. The lender disburses impound account
funds on behalf of the borrower when they become due.
(Also known as Escrow Account.)
- Index
- Most lenders generally tie adjustable rate mortgage
loan (ARM) interest rate changes to an "index." An index
is a widely published rate such as LIBOR, T-Bill, or
11th District Cost of Funds (COFI). Lenders use these
indices to establish the interest rates charged on mortgage
loans. For ARMs, a predetermined margin is added to
the index to compute the interest rate adjustment.
- Initial Cap
- Consumer safeguard which limits the amount the interest
rate on an adjustable rate mortgage can change during
the first adjustment period. See Caps.
- Initial Rate
- The rate charged during the first interval of an ARM loan.
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- Interest
- Charge paid for borrowing money, calculated as a percentage
of the remaining balance of the amount borrowed.
- Interest Rate
- The annual rate of interest on the loan, expressed
as a percentage of 100.
- Interest Rate Cap
- Consumer safeguards which limit the amount the interest
rate on an ARM loan can change in an adjustment interval and/or
over the life of the loan. For example, if your per-period
cap is 1% and your current rate is 7%, then your newly
adjusted rate must fall between 6% and 8% regardless
of actual changes in the index.
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J
- Joint Liability
- Liability shared among two or more people, each of
whom is liable for the full debt.
- Joint Tenancy
- A form of ownership of property giving each person
equal interest in the property, including rights of
survivorship.
- Jumbo Loan
- A mortgage larger than the $300,700 limit set by the
Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal
Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
- Junior Mortgage
- A mortgage subordinate to the claim of a prior lien
or mortgage. In the case of a foreclosure, a senior
mortgage or lien will be paid first.
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K
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- No K terms.
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L
- Late Charge
- Penalty paid by a borrower when a payment is made
after the due date.
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- Lender
- The bank, mortgage company, or mortgage broker offering
the loan.
- LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate)
- The interest rate charged among banks in the foreign
market for short-term loans to one another. A common
index for ARM loans.
- Lien
- A legal claim by one person on the property of another
for security for payment of a debt.
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- Lifetime (or Overall) Cap
- Consumer safeguard which limits the amount the interest
rate on an adjustable rate mortgage loan (ARM) can change over the life of the loan. See Caps.
- Loan Application
- An initial statement of personal and financial information
required to apply for a loan.
- Loan Application Fee
- Fee charged by a lender to cover the initial costs
of processing a loan application. The fee may include
the cost of obtaining a property appraisal, a credit
report, and a lock-in fee or other closing costs incurred
during the process or the fee may be in addition to
these charges.
- Loan Origination Fee
- Fee charged by a lender to cover administrative costs
of processing a loan.
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- Loan-to-Value Ratio (LTV)
- The percentage of the loan amount to the appraised
value (or the sales price, whichever is less) of the
property.
- Lock or Lock-In
- A lender's guarantee of an interest rate for a set
period of time. The time period is usually that between
loan application approval and loan closing. The lock-in
protects you against rate increases during that time.
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M
- Margin
- The percentage difference between the index for a
particular loan and the interest rate charged. This
is a number predetermined by the lender.
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- Mortgage
- A legal document by which real property is pledged
as security for the repayment of a loan.
- Mortgage Banker
- An individual or company that originates and/or services
mortgage loans.
- Mortgage Broker
- An individual or company that arranges financing for
borrowers.
- Mortgage Insurance
- Insurance to protect the lender in case you default
on your loan. With conventional loans, mortgage insurance
is generally not required if you make a down payment
of at least 20% of the home's appraised value. (Note,
however, that FHA and VA loans have different insurance guidelines.)
- Mortgage Loan
- A loan for which real estate serves as collateral
to provide for repayment in case of default.
- Mortgage Note
- Legal document obligating a borrower to repay a loan
at a stated interest rate during a specified period
of time. The agreement is secured by a mortgage or deed
of trust or other security instrument.
- Mortgagee
- The lender in a mortgage loan transaction.
- Mortgagor
- The borrower in a mortgage loan transaction.
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N
- Negative Amortization
- A loan payment schedule in which the outstanding principal
balance of a loan goes up rather than down because the
payments do not cover the full amount of interest due.
The monthly shortfall in payment is added to the unpaid
principal balance of the loan.
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- Non-Assumption Clause
- A statement in a mortgage contract forbidding the
assumption of the mortgage by another borrower without
the prior approval of the lender.
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- Note
- Legal document obligating a borrower to repay a loan
at a stated interest rate during a specified period
of time. The agreement is secured by a mortgage or deed
of trust or other security instrument.
- Notice of Default
- Written notice to a borrower that a default has occurred
and that legal action may be taken.
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O
- Origination Fee
- Fee charged by a lender to cover administrative costs
of processing a loan.
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P
- Payment Cap
- Consumer safeguards which limit the amount monthly
payments on an adjustable-rate mortgage may change.
Since they do not limit the amount of interest the lender
is earning, they may cause negative amortization.
- Per Diem Interest
- Interest calculated per day. (Depending on the day
of the month on which closing takes place, you will
have to pay interest from the date of closing to the
end of the month. Your first mortgage payment will probably
be due the first day of the following month.)
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- Periodic Cap
- Consumer safeguard which limits the amount the interest
rate on an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) can change in an adjustment interval. See Caps.
- PITI
- Abbreviation for Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance,
the components of a monthly mortgage payment.
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- Points (or Discount Points)
- Points are an up-front fee paid to the lender at the
time that you get your loan. Each point equals one percent
of your total loan amount. Points and interest rates
are inherently connected: in general, the more points
you pay, the lower the interest rate you get. However,
the more points you pay, the more cash you need up front
since points are paid in cash at closing.
- Power of Attorney
- Legal document authorizing one person to act on behalf
of another.
- Pre-approval
- The process of determining how much money a prospective
homebuyer or refinancer will be eligible to borrow prior
to application for a loan. A pre-approval includes a
preliminary screening of a borrower's credit history.
Information submitted during pre-approval is subject
to verification at application.
- Prepaid Expenses
- Taxes, insurance and assessments paid in advance of
their due dates. These expenses are included at closing.
- Prepaid Interest
- Interest that is paid in advance of when it is due.
Typically charged to a borrower at closing to cover
interest on the loan between the closing date and the
first payment date.
- Prepayment
- Full or partial repayment of the principal before
the contractual due date.
- Prepayment Penalty
- Fee charged by a lender for a loan paid off in advance
of the contractual due date.
- Pre-qualification
- The process of determining how much money a prospective
homebuyer will be eligible to borrow prior to application
for a loan. Information submitted during pre-qualification
is subject to verification at application.
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- Principal
- The amount of debt, not counting interest, left on
a loan.
- Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
- Insurance to protect the lender in case you default
on your loan. With conventional loans, mortgage insurance
is generally not required if you make a down payment
of at least 20% of the home's purchase price. (Note,
however, that FHA and VA loans have different insurance guidelines.)
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- Purchase Agreement
- Contract signed by buyer and seller stating the terms
and conditions under which a property will be sold.
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Q
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- No Q terms.
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R
- Real Financing Cost
- The real financing cost is a consumer-oriented rate
that takes into account the projected amount of time
you tell us you will actually have the loan, as well
as the specific costs, fees, and potential rate changes
associated with it. The fees and costs are distributed
over the time you plan to be in the house, allowing
you to do an apples-to-apples comparison of a variety
of loan types. The real financing cost is not
the APR. The APR assumes that you keep your loan for
the entire term (e.g. 30 years for a 30 year fixed loan)
and includes only some of your loan fees. The total
financing cost takes into account all of your closing
costs associated with your loan and also how long you
plan to be in your house.
- Real Property
- Land and any improvements permanently affixed to it,
such as buildings.
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- Reconveyance
- The transfer of property back to the owner when a
mortgage loan is fully repaid.
- Recording
- The act of entering documents concerning title to
a property into the public records.
- Recording Fee
- Money paid to an agent for entering the sale of a
property into the public records.
- Refinancing
- The process of paying off one loan with the proceeds
from a new loan secured by the same property.
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- RESPA
- Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. RESPA is a
federal law that gives consumers the right to review
information about loan settlement costs. The law gives
you the right to review this information after you apply
for a loan, and again at loan settlement. The law only
obliges lenders to provide these settlement costs after
application.
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- Right to Rescission
- Under the provisions of the Truth-in-Lending Act,
the borrower's right, on certain kinds of loans, to
cancel the loan within three days of signing a mortgage.
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S
- Sales Agreement
- Contract signed by buyer and seller stating the terms
and conditions under which a property will be sold.
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- Second Mortgage
- An additional mortgage placed on a property that has
rights that are subordinate to the first mortgage.
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- Settlement (or Closing)
- The settlement or closing is the conclusion of your
real estate transaction. It includes the delivery of
your security instrument, signing of your legal documents
and the disbursement of the funds necessary to the sale
of your home or loan transaction (refinance).
- Settlement Costs
- Also known as closing costs, these costs are for services
that must be performed before your loan can be initiated.
Examples include title fees, recording fees, appraisal
fee, credit report fee, pest inspection, attorney's
fees, taxes, and surveying fees.
- Settlement Cost (HUD guide)
- HUD - published booklet that provides an overview
of the lending process, and that is given to consumers
after completing loan application.
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- Survey
- A measurement of land, prepared by a licensed surveyor,
showing a property's boundaries, elevations, improvements,
and relationship to surrounding tracts.
- Sweat Equity
- Value added to a property in the form of labor or
services of the owner rather than cash.
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T
- Tax Impound
- Money paid to and held by a lender for annual tax
payments.
- Tax Lien
- Claim against a property for unpaid taxes.
- Tax Sale
- Public sale of property by a government authority
as a result of non-payment of taxes.
- Term
- The period of time between the beginning loan date
on the legal documents and the date the entire balance
of the loan is due.
- Title
- Document which gives evidence of ownership of a property.
Also indicates the rights of ownership and possession
of the property.
- Title Company
- A company that insures title to property.
- Title Insurance
- Insurance which protects the lender (lender's policy)
or the buyer (owner's policy) against loss due to disputes
over ownership of a property.
- Title Search
- Examination of municipal records to ensure that the
seller is the legal owner of a property and that there
are no liens or other claims against the property.
- Trade Lines
- Trade lines are your different credit accounts listed
on your credit report.
- Trans Union
- One of the three largest credit bureaus in the United
States.
- Transfer Tax
- Tax paid when title passes from one owner to another.
- Truth-in-Lending Act
- Federal law requiring written disclosure of the terms
of a mortgage (including the APR and other charges) by a lender to a borrower
after application. Also requires the right to rescission
period.
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U
- Underwriting
- In mortgage lending, the process of determining the
risks involved in a particular loan and establishing
suitable terms and conditions for the loan.
- Usury
- Interest charged in excess of the legal rate established
by law.
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V
- VA Loans
- Fixed-rate loans guaranteed by the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs. They are designed to make housing
affordable for eligible U.S. veterans. VA loans are
available to veterans, reservists, active-duty personnel,
and surviving spouses of veterans with 100% entitlement.
Eligible veterans may be able to purchase a home with
no down payment, no cash reserve, no application fee,
and lower closing costs than other financing options.
The maximum VA loan amount is currently $203,000.
- Variable Rate Mortgage
- See Adjustable Rate Mortgage.
- Variable Rate
- Interest rate that changes periodically in relation
to an index.
- Verification of Deposit (VOD)
- Document signed by the borrower's bank or other financial
institution verifying the borrower's account balance
and history.
- Verification of Employment (VOE)
- Document signed by the borrower's employer verifying
the borrower's position and salary.
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W
- Waiver
- Voluntary relinquishment or surrender of some right
or privilege.
- Walk-through
- A final inspection of a home to check for problems
that may need to be corrected before closing.
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X
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- No X terms.
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Y
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- No Y terms.
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Z
- Zoning Ordinances (or Zoning Regulations)
- Local law establishing building codes and usage regulations
for properties in a specified area.
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